Fork for handling sheaves.



2 Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented Mar. 26, |90l. L. C. STURMAN. FORK FOR HANDLING SHEAVES.(Apphcatxon led Aug 8 1900) (No Model.)

w/mfssfs No. 670,822. Patented Mar. 26, IQOI` L. C. STURMAN.

FORK FOR' HANDLING SHEAVES.

(Application led Aug. B, 1900.? (nu Mauer.) 2 Sheets-sneet 2.

W/TNESSES A 77'OHNEYS w: cams arcas cn. PHOTO-mwa, wnsnmmon, m4 c UNTTEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS CASS STURMAN, OF NINEMILE, MONTANA.

FORK FOR HANDLING SHEAVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 670,822, dated March26, 1901.

Application filed August 8, 1900. Serial No. 26,269. (No model.;Y

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, Lewis CAss STURMAN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Ninemile, in the county of Missoula and State ofMontana, have invented a new and Improved Fork for Handling Sheaves, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a fork especially adapted forhandling sheaves, but which may be utilized as an ordinary pitchfork,and to so construct the improved device that in addition to the ordinaryfork, which is movable or may be locked, clamping hooks or arms areemployed, which as the main fork is forced into a sheave willautomatically close around the sheave, means being provided for openingthe arms at will.

The invention consists in the novel oonstruction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding` parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved fork with theclamping-arms in a closed position extending over the tines or prongs ofthe main fork. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken throughthe central portion of the device. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on theline 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is a transverse section on the line 4 4 ofFig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the improved fork, showingthe clampingarms in open position.

A represents a handle which is provided with an inner chamber 10,extending from the outer end a certain distance in direction of theinner end, and B represents the main fork, consisting of two prongs ortines 11 of the ordinary form and a shank 12, which shank enters thechamber 10 of the handle and has longitudinal movement therein. Theshank 12 is provided with a reduced inner end section 13, whereby ashoulder 14 is formed, and upon one face of the reduced section 13 ofthe shank a series of ratchetteeth 15 are formed, and at the lower endof the reduced section 13 of said shank 12 of the main fork a nut 16 oran enlargement is formed which limits the movement of the shank in thehandle, as when the shank 12 is carried out from the handle a sufficientdistance the nut will strike against a head 17, forminga part ot' alatch-lever 18, which lever is located in a slot formed in the fronttace of the handle, as shown in Fig. 1, and is pivoted about centrallybetween its ends in the said handle by a pin 19, which pin is passedthrough a metal casing 20, which is embedded in the chamber 10 of thehandle, as shown in Figs. 2 and #1. The lower end of the latch-lever 18is pressed within the chamber 10 when the projection or head 17 is to bereleased from the ratchet-teeth 15, with which teeth the said head ofthe lever is adapted to normally engage, being held in such engagementby a spring 21, located within the handle and exerting outward pressureon the lower or free end of said latch-lever.

At the upper end of the handle a collar 22 is located, and a ferrule 23is attached t-othis collar or is formed integral therewith, the ferruleextending along the outside of the handle A, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and5. The ferrule is usually held in position by a ring 24, passed aroundits inner end, and screws 25 or like devices, which extend through thering and ferrule and into the handle, as shown in Fig. 2. A secondcollar 26 is located just beyond the collar 22. This second collar 26 isprovided with an attached or integraltube 27, and this tube 27 extendsdown a certain distance into the chamber 10 of the handle, being inengagement with the wall of said chamber, as shown in Fig. 2, andthetube 27 and outer collar 26 are held in place by a screw 28, which ispassed through the ferrulecollar 22, as is also shown in Fig. 2. Stops29 are also provided to limit the outward movement ofthe shank of themain fork, and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these stops consist of pinsWhich extend through the handle and through the tube 27 into the chamber10, as the head 17 of the latch-lever 18 may be frequently carried sofar out from the chamber 10 that the enlargement 16 on the shank l2 isenabled to pass it. A spring 30 is coiled around the reduced portion 13of the shank l2 of the main fork B, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and thisspring has bearing against the IOO shoulder 14 of the shank and restsagainst the stop-pins 29. When the shank of the main fork has beenpressed or forced to its fullest extent into the chamber 10 of thehandle, the spring 13 is placed under compression and the shank is heldin such position by the engagement ofthe head 17 of the latchlever withthe ratchet-teeth 15 on the shank. When the shank of the main fork isreleased from engagement with the latch-lever 18, the spring 30 acts tocarry the shank of the main fork out to its full outer position, (shownin Fig. 5,) and the shank'may be locked or irmly held in this positionthrough the medium of a set-screw 31, which is passed through theferrule-collar 22 to an engagement with the upper portion of the saidshank.

A stud 32 extends from the front portion of the outer end of the shank12 of the main fork B, and on this stud two links 33 are pivoted oneupon the other, and the lower-most link is provided at its pivot-pointwith a recess 34, which limits the movement of the links in direction ofeach other. These links extend across a cross-bar 34, which is securedto or forms an integral portion of the front part of the outer collar26, secured to the handle. The ends of the cross-bar are curved i`n anupward direction, and at each end of said cross-bar a forwardlyextending lip 35 is formed, which lips are at an angle to the body ofthe cross-bar. rlhe Shanks 36 of two clamping-arms C are pivotallyattached to the upwardly-curved portions of the cross-bar 34, at thefront face of said bar, and these Shanks at their inner ends arepivotally connected with the inner extremities of the links 33. Theshanks 36 of the clamping-arms have recesses 37 where they connect withthe links 33, so as to limit the movement of the clamping-arms C indirection of each other; but such movement is mainly limited by the lips35. The clamping-arms C, which form a portion of the Shanks 36, arecarried to the front, where they connect with the Shanks at more or lessof an angle to said Shanks, and these arms are curved in direction ofeach other in front of the main fork B. When the clamping-arms C are intheir closed position, as shown in Fig. 1, they extend over the tines ormembers of the main fork B.

In the operation of the device, the main fork beingin the position shownin Fig. -namely,

the shank of the main fork extending some distance beyond the outer endof the handle A-the clamping-arms will be some distance inward from themain fork, one at each side of the said main fork, as shown in Fig. 5,and these clamping-arms may be held in this position by tightening theset-screw 31, at which time the main fork may be used simply as apitchfork. When the fork is to be used for handling sheaves, theset-screw 31 is loosened, and as the main fork B is forced into a sheavethe shank of the main fork will be forced to its full extent into thehandle A. As the shank is thus forced into the handle the clamping-armsC will be carried in direction of each other by reason of the linkconnections described, and the said clamping-arms will extend around thesheave. The latch-lever 1S will now hold the parts in the position justdescribed andas shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the sheave is to bereleased from the fork, the free end of the latch-lever is pressedinward, thus releasing the shank of the main fork, and the spring 3()will then act and will force the shank of the main fork outward,carrying the clamping-arms to the rear position, (shown in Fig. 5,)whereupon the main fork may be drawn from the sheave in the ordinarymanner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- 1. A device for handling sheaves, comprising ahandle, -a main fork the shank of which is movable in the handle, alocking device for the shank of the main fork, means for forcing theShank of the main fork from the handle to a certain extent when releasedfrom its locking device, and clamping-arms independent of the main forkand operated by the movement thereof, for the purpose set forth.

2. Adevice forhandlingsheaves,consisting of a handle, a main fork, ashank for the main fork having Sliding movement in the handle andarranged to force the fork a certain distance out therefrom,ratchet-teeth formed upon the lshank of the fork, a cross-bar attachedto the handle, clamping-arms pivoted to the cross-bar and arranged inone position to cross the main fork, and links connected with the shankof the main fork and the rear ends of the clamping-arms, for the purposeset forth.

3. In a device for handling sheaves, a han dle having a longitudinalbore, a main fork, a shank attached to the main fork, having slidingmovement in the said handle, stops for the said Shank located Within thesaid bore, a spring coiled around the shank and acting normally to forcethe shank a certain distance out from the handle, ratchet-teeth formedon the shank, a latch-lever carried by the handle and arranged forengagement with the ratchet-teeth, arms curved in direction of eachother, a support attached to the handle upon which the said arms arepivoted, links connecting the inneror rear ends of the said arms withthe shank of the main fork, and means for locking the said shank of themain fork independent of the latch-lever, as described.

4. In a device for handling sheaves, the combination, with a handlehaving a bore therein extending from its outer end in direction of itsinner end, a latch-lever located in said handle, the head of thelatch-lever extending within said bore, a main fork, a shank for thesaid fork, which shank extends within the bore of the handle and has endmovement therein, the said shank having a reduced lower end andratchet-teeth produced upon IOO IIO

one face of the said reduced portion of the shank, which ratchet-teethare adapted to be engaged by the head of the latch-lever, stops arrangedto limit the outward movement of the shank of the main fork, and aspring coiled around the shank, which spring is compressed when theshank is forced to its full extent in the bore of the handle, of aVcross-bar attached to the handle at the front portion thereof, curvedarms the Shanks of which are pivoted to the said cross-bar, the armsbeing curved in direction of each other, While in one position the armsextend across the members of the main fork, links pivotally connected tothe shankof the main fork near its outer end, said links being pivotallyattached one to the shank of each of the said arms, and means forlocking the shank against movement, as and for the purpose specified. Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LEWIS CASS STURMAN. Witnesses:

FRED. C. STODDARD, Jos. M. DIXON.

